The Trial of Elphaba
by 18lzytwner
Summary: Picks up where "The Winter of Our Discontent" leaves off. Elphaba and those that stand with her are headed back to the Emerald City. What awaits them there and what is to come will test the bonds of love, friendship, and the fabric of the Ozian Nation. 3rd of new series! Fiyeraba, slight Gloq, mostly Khalinda
1. Chapter 1

**The Trial of Elphaba**

_By 18lzytwner_

**Chapter 1**

"Sweet Oz!" Private Schultz said as he pulled the Village doors open with the help of his comrades. The Captain's steed rushed through as soon as the opening was large enough and headed down toward the Dillamond's home.

"Get Lieutenant Balfour!" Schultz shouted down the way to his comrades and one man shot off toward the barracks. The morning sun had come up over the horizon but the temperatures had not risen since the night before.

The shouting and sounds of feet and hooves tramping the earth made the Dillamond's rush outside. Seeing the Captain slumped over his bride-to-be and not wearing a coat, they quickly shouted for help. Everyone nearby, Animals and Gale Force alike, rushed over and helped get both down off the horse and into the house.

"Are they alive?" Lieutenant Balfour asked as he shooed away all the curious onlookers, leaving only those that could help.

"The Captain is barely breathing. We need to bring his core temperature up slowly but otherwise he looks unharmed. Help me get him near the fire, wrap him in blankets, and start heating water. We'll need to soak him in warm water," Mrs. Dillamond instructed. Balfour nodded and quickly had help moving the Captain near the fire and then started collecting water to boil.

"Lady Glinda has lost a lot of blood but I think the medic who wrapped her wound bought us some time along with the cold temperatures. We'll need to warm her as well but it might be best if we patch her up first," the Goat said.

"Why didn't Miss Fae patch her up?" Doctor Dillamond asked.

"Oh Oz…" his wife murmured. The thought had not occurred to anyone until that moment. Shaking the fears that were rushing to the forefront away, Mrs. Dillamond took charge.

"No time for that now. We must get these two healthy first," she said. They got to work, all wondering what had happened to their friends when they entered the enemy village to the north.

"Move out!" Came the shout of Corporal Reap. He'd been voted in charge since the Lieutenant and Sergeant were under arrest and the Captain was off trying to save Lady Glinda. They had loaded a still unconscious Elphaba into the first wagon they were using to carry some of the belongings of those now committed to Oz and the new government. Originally the hope had been to just take horses and people bringing only what they could carry but there were not enough horses to carry everyone. Wagons were then loaded when first light dawned and the group was off later than the Corporal would have hoped but with any luck they would still make the walls of the Village by nightfall.

Those arrested would have typically forced to walk but the fact of the matter was that the train of people was going to be much slower due to the large number of them that the Corporal decided they should be tied to their horses. In order to keep them from escaping, the rope was then tied to the back of the first wagon.

"I worry for Miss Elphaba," Theo said quietly to Fiyero.

"As do I my friend," he frowned.

"I know that's all we can do for now but should it come down to it, I will more than gladly sacrifice my life so that the world will understand the truth," Theo told him.

"Let us hope it does not come to that. Though your bravery means more than you know," Fiyero smiled slightly. Just then a scream came from the wagon in front of them.

"Elphaba!" Fiyero strained against the ropes that bound him but all they did was to dig deeper into his straw and slowly wreck the stitching job that had been done.

"I've got her," the medic promised as he swung his horse close to the wagon and jumped inside.

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Miss Elphaba I'm here to help you. What's wrong?" The medic asked as he carefully took hold of her hands which she was flailing around, desperately trying to figure out why she her ankles were tied to the wagon.

"Who are you? Where am I? Who is Elphaba?" She demanded regretting it immediately as her head pounded. She put a hand to her temple and found the bandage that the medic had put on her cut. Carefully he helped her back into the laying down position.

"I'm the medic from Lieutenant Balfour's regiment of the Gale Force. My name is Billy. You suffered a head injury and we're taking you back to the Animal Village. You are Elphaba," he slowly and calmly explained the situation. He didn't have the heart to tell her why she was tied to the wagon.

"If I am Elphaba why don't I remember my own name?" She asked; her tone grew hushed.

"As I said, you took a nasty blow to the head. To be honest, I'm glad you're even awake," Billy explained.

"Why is it so cold?" She was freezing and it wasn't until now that they both noticed it.

"I'll get you another blanket. It's the middle of winter, I'm afraid," Billy smiled slightly and moved to look for one of the extra saddle blankets they had grabbed from the barn.

"How long was I unconscious?" She asked.

"Not more than a couple of hours," he smiled slightly as he brought the extra blanket over.

"I don't remember it being winter," Elphaba admitted.

"Well to be fair you didn't remember your name either. It's ok. I figure things will slowly come back to you. How's the pain in your head?" Billy wanted to know.

"Excruciating," she told him as she paused, "and I think I'm hallucinating."

"Why is that?" The medic raised an eyebrow.

"My skin is green," Elphaba's eyes went wide and then quickly went down to squinting. Billy paused, unsure of how to handle this.

"As far as I know, you've always been green," he wasn't sure if he was right but ever since hearing of the green skinned woman's existence, he figured she had to have been green for a long time.

"Oh," was all she said.

"Why don't you try to rest and we'll fill in more details when we arrive at the village?" Billy suggested.

"Don't leave me," her voice was small and frightened. Never once had the medic ever heard nor seen the woman before him of being afraid and he smiled slightly.

"Tell you what. I need to go make sure my horse is keeping up. I'll be right back in five minutes ok?" He smiled slightly.

"Ok," she agreed. He nodded and ducked out of the wagon. His horse was right beside the wagon. The highly trained animal refused to leave the side of the wagon, knowing his rider would come out soon.

"Good boy Maximus. Come on. We have to find Master Fiyero," Billy smiled and he hopped onto the horse's back. Then he maneuvered so he was next to the Scarecrow.

"What happened? How is she?" Fiyero wanted to know.

"She's had severe memory loss and she's in a lot of pain. I worry that she will not be capable of understanding what will happen when we return to the Emerald City," he laid it out for him.

"How bad is the memory loss?" Fiyero swallowed hard.

"She couldn't remember that she was green. I told her that she'd always been that way, I hope I was right," Billy said.

"Oh Oz," Fiyero was close to breaking down.

"Was I wrong?" The medic asked.

"No, but I worry that once her memories start coming back, she may not be able to handle what she sees," the Scarecrow admitted.

"What do you mean?" Billy was confused. Surely she had been through some rough times but the core of her existence could not have been that terrifying.

"She was born that way and with that she was born into a family controlled by a crazed man, bent on making every day of her existence a living hell," Fiyero told him.

"Oh Oz," Billy didn't like where this was going.

"She never fully opened up to me about the scale of the abuse but it was clear from the time we spent together, that both the mental and physical scars haunt her every dream and every waking moment. Despite burying it deep in her mind, it's always there, lurking. Waiting for the moment she lets her guard down; waiting to make her relive the pain and the suffering. You can't leave her alone. Promise me," Fiyero begged.

"I won't, I promise," Billy nodded and with that moved back toward the wagon, determined to keep Elphaba safe.

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: A shout out to James Birdsong! Thanks for the review! Glad to have you back. :)**

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**Chapter 3**

The caravan arrived at the village as the sun was beginning to set. The soldiers let the group in and quickly dispersed the women and children to homes willing to foster them. They were met with some resistance as most had only heard how horrible Animals could be but soon the new visitors and their foster families were getting all settled.

Fiyero, Sergeant Zetti, Lieutenant Ronin, Private Roth, Theodore, and Olaf were led into the conference room where they were locked in. Elphaba was carried to the Dillamond's who were both surprised to learn of what had happened in the Village. Billy explained everything and promised that part of his duty was not letting Elphaba or Glinda out of his sight. He was then directed to the Captain who was recovering on the couch in the living room.

"Everyone make it back?" He asked.

"Yes but I don't see how you can leave those under arrest, still under arrest," Billy spoke bluntly.

"How do you figure?" The Captain eyeballed him.

"Elphaba doesn't even know who she is. I had to explain to her why her skin was green. I think that it would not be out of the question to release the prisoners and reinstate them. She's not a danger to anyone. At this point, I'd probably have to teach her how to tie her own shoes. Moreover, she's had multiple opportunities to destroy everyone here but she never did. If she was as "wicked" as they say, would she not have destroyed every Gale Force soldier who would have tried to enter the village? Would she have travelled all the way to the Emerald City where she could have been killed on the spot? Captain, you have to understand..."

"I understand perfectly well but you know as well as I, that if I do not hold them accountable and if someone leaves this village and blabs, we're all dead. It is only by sheer luck we have managed so far. I intend to get those arrested to the Emerald City where Brrr is currently running things and leave the decision to him. If the good people of the Emerald City see their temporary leader holding those who would stand up for the witch and for Animals accountable, it may just make the hatred of Animals decrease. When everyone discovers that Elphaba is incapable of aiding in her own defense and that she is as harmless as a butterfly, they will undoubtedly feel she could not be held responsible. Besides we have proven most of the myths surrounding her false just by the fact that we're all still standing here. That and most of what the Wizard said were all lies too. If he lied about who he was, could not also lie about Elphaba? Not to mention, Morrible's lies that she spewed. Her trial illuminated quite a bit about the old codfish. Her execution became a national holiday for cripes sake!" Khalil was working himself up and Mrs. Dillamond came in and demanded that the two put a stop to it. The Captain's heart needed to be examined after he practically froze to death and she didn't want to put extra strain on him. Billy nodded and left to find Elphaba.

"Oh Lady Glinda, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were in here," Billy stood at attention as he entered the bedroom where Elphaba had been brought in. the blonde had taken a seat next to the bed where her friend was lying.

"Billy!" Elphaba was all smiles.

"Hi there Elphaba. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"My head feels a little better but I don't remember this place," her face fell.

"I was just trying to help her remember who I was," Glinda had a slight frown on her face.

"It is going to take some time but I'm glad that both of you are alive and well. How is your shoulder?" Billy wanted to know.

"It hurts but as soon as I gain a little strength back, I'm going to try and heal it. I need to help the Captain as well, if I can," the blonde admitted. Billy nodded and noted that Elphaba had grown bored with the conversation. She was playing with her long hair as if she was trying to figure out how it was attached to her head.

"The next few weeks are going to be brutal," he said.

To Be Continued…


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This chapter touches on some darker moments in Elphie's past. So the rating is a strong T. No graphic details but some insinuations. **

**A/N2: A shout out to ExoticPeachBlossom. I hope you feel better soon hun. *hugs***

**Anyone who hasn't read her work, please do. Excellent stuff and reviews always make everyone feel better. :)**

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**Chapter 4**

Two days later, the temperatures had warmed considerably and the sun was actually beginning to feel warm. It was still a month before Spring but any weather where it was warm enough to venture out without getting oneself in major medical trouble was a good thing. The Captain was showing no ill effects and Glinda had managed to regain enough strength to heal herself. Khalil refused her help, citing that everything must look on the up and up, and that despite the love they shared he had no choice.

"_What if this trial finds me guilty? Will you stand by while they carry out my sentence?" Glinda wanted to know._

"_If the trial finds you guilty, I will do everything in my power to save you. If I cannot then I will stand with you and beg the court to give me your same fate," Khalil put a hand to cheek._

"_I would not want to see you suffer. I could not bear it," the blonde had tears running down her cheeks._

"_I would suffer a thousand deaths if it meant I could be with you," the Captain told her, his own eyes were being to tear as he pulled her into him and buried his head into her hair._

"Captain! Captain! Are you all right?" Lieutenant Balfour asked.

"Huh?" The Captain shook himself from the memories of the evening prior. Despite every need to show no impropriety, the two had spent the night in each other's arms, making love, at the Dillamond's house. The next morning, Glinda was transferred to the conference room and locked in with the others, with the exception of Elphaba.

"Are you all right sir? The caravan must leave at the first rays of dawn. Without enchantment, the horses will take longer to reach Kiamo Ko," Lieutenant Balfour pointed out.

"I understand Lieutenant. We will be ready to go. You have things under control here, I trust? Mrs. Dillamond will act as medic to the men if they need one. I need Corporal Anderson with me in case Miss Elphaba runs into trouble," Khalil said.

"Yes, Captain. Everything is in control here. I wish you luck and a safe journey. How will we know the outcome of everything to come?" Balfour asked.

"I will send word and with any luck everyone minus Lady Glinda and myself will be back. You will then trade places with Lieutenant Ronin and head home to that wife and child of yours," the Captain smiled slightly.

"I know she will be anxious to see me," Balfour smiled.

"I'm sure. Just long enough to hand off diaper duty," Khalil chuckled.

"Probably, sir," the Lieutenant saluted and then left to make sure the prisoners were ready for transport. They would be loaded onto a wagon and tied together. Then they would be tied to the wagon. Khalil did not expect much resistance considering the fact that Glinda could have used her magic to free everyone already but he still had to make it look good.

"Ready Corporal?" Khalil asked as Reap entered the Captain's bedroom.

"I am if you are sir," Reap smiled slightly.

"What do you want to say son? I know that look," the Captain said. He knew all his men and that worked to his advantage because he knew when they had doubts and he let them express them.

"Are we sure we need to do this?" Reap asked.

"As much as I hate the idea, I have no choice. Besides if this works out then Miss Elphaba will be free. She won't have to hide anymore," Khalil gave him a tight smile.

"That's why you're the Captain, sir," Reap nodded.

"You'll get there someday Corporal. As it stands, you're due for a promotion," the Captain gave him a wink and then they headed out into the barracks and then out to the wagon. Inside, Billy was checking everyone over, making sure they would survive the trip.

"Are you ready Corporal Anderson?" The Captain asked, as he climbed atop his horse.

"Ready sir," Billy nodded.

"Then off we go," Khalil nodded. He led his horse around to the front of the wagon and Reap hopped into the driver's seat with Private Schultz. The wagon moved toward the gates and then out into the wilderness.

"Where are we going?" Elphaba asked for the third time.

"The Emerald City," Fiyero smiled and gave her hand a squeeze.

"Why?" She asked that for the second time and Fiyero was beginning to worry about her short term memory.

"We didn't follow the rules like everyone else," he said. She hung her head and nodded as if she was processing but wasn't entirely sure she understood. Fiyero gave Billy a look and he moved over to the emerald beauty.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked. It was the same question he'd asked earlier but he wanted to see if the answer was the same.

"My head hurts," she admitted.

"I know," Billy smiled slightly and then asked,

"Concussions will do that to you. Do you remember who you are?"

"I'm Elphaba," she smiled slightly. That was good.

"I'm green," she continued. Billy nodded.

"And I deserve to be punished," she said. Billy gave her a look and so did Fiyero.

"Why?" Billy asked.

"I'm a naughty girl and naughty girls get tied up," she explained.

"Who thinks you're naughty?" Fiyero suddenly spoke up.

"Daddy. He says I was born that way. That the only way to fix me is to tie me up and show me what happens to girls who have been naughty," the statement floored everyone who heard it. Billy quickly untied Elphaba from everyone else. She crawled into Fiyero's lap and the Scarecrow pulled her as close as he could.

"You're a good person, Fae. Everyone knows it," he tried to reassure her. Billy moved away and sat down next to Glinda.

"What's happening to her?" The blonde asked.

"Seeing her ankles and wrists bound must have brought some memories to the surface. They will come back in bits and pieces. I fear that I know all too well what she was getting at though. I had Mrs. Dillamond help her get cleaned up and she said…," he heaved a sigh without completing the sentence.

"The scars on her back?" Glinda asked.

"Yes those," Billy nodded.

"I'm afraid that isn't the worst of it," the blonde sighed.

"I don't like where this is going," the medic said.

"I fear it will all come out at the trial. The Elphie I knew would die of embarrassment," Glinda told him.

"What happened?" Billy asked.

"She swore me to secrecy. I can't in good conscience betray her trust now. You have to understand, she never told Fiyero, as far as I know. She didn't even know how to begin. The only reason she told me was because…" Glinda pulled up short, to say any more now would it give too much away.

"Then when the time comes she will tell everyone in her own way. I must alert the Captain to the latest development and I will try to impress upon him the seriousness of what we are dealing with," Billy gave a tight smile and headed toward the back of the wagon. Fiyero looked at Glinda and she bit her lip.

To Be Continued…


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The tiny caravan pulled into the Emerald City just as the sun was setting three days later. The rest of the trip had been uneventful. Everyone was thankful for it but still they worried that more of Elphaba's memories would float to the surface when no one, including herself, would have wanted them.

The group was led up the stairs to a waiting Brrr in the throne room. The Lion had assumed control after word had not been sent from the Animal Village in quite some time. The Council had originally objected but when they saw the instructions given him by Lady Glinda, the begrudgingly accepted.

"Lady Glinda! What is going on?" Brrr asked as he saw the entire group being walked in, all of them now handcuffed.

"This group is charged with treason, King Brrr, for their willful alliance with the Wicked Witch," Captain Khalil explained.

"You found the Wicked Witch?" Brrr gave him a look while trying to bury his own concern.

"We did Your Highness. She is right here," Khalil brought her forth from behind the group and immediately Brrr could see something was wrong.

"She doesn't look as scary as the tales say," the Lion said.

"I fear one of my men ignored my orders and hit her with his rifle. She suffered brain trauma and is but a shell of who she once was," Khalil told him.

"Are you sure it is not a trick? All of these people stood by her? Including Lady Glinda, your fiancée? They were not tricked into believing they stand with her?" Brrr inquired.

"It is not a trick sir. As she has been recovering her memories, painful trauma from her childhood has surfaced. If she is tricking us then she is doing a very good job. The group stands with her, despite it all," the Captain said.

"Then I have no choice but to uphold your charges. Hold the prisoners in the cells in the basement. I want the Doctors to look at the Witch and see if she can be part of her own defense. Dependent upon her examination, we will proceed from there. I will alert the Council and set a date for trial," Brrr nodded. With that the group was dismissed and turned to head toward their fate of the musty cells in the basement. However as they were separated from Elphaba she screamed,

"Fiyero!"

"Stay strong Fae! We'll be together again soon!" He promised her and if he'd had a real heart, it would have broken as tears streamed down her face.

"Fiyero?" One of the new guards looked at him with a look in his eye, that Fiyero knew all too well, anger. The Lion heard the remark and roared across the room,

"Put aside your grudges and judgments on these prisoners! None of them are to be harmed until the court has made its ruling! Any hair or straw on anyone's head is found out of place and expect the punishment to be severe!" The guards nodded, sure that the new ruling entity meant it and led the group down to their new home in the basement.

"It'll be all right Elphaba. The nice doctors just want to have a look at you and then you can join Fiyero," Khalil smiled at her but the fear in her eyes told him that his word was not enough. He scooped her up into his arms and continued on the journey down to the infirmary. She didn't fight him and instead just cried into the shoulder of his uniform. It wasn't until they'd made it through the doors that he realized that Boq was still there. The poor Munchkin was not healing well and his mental state was suffering as well. The devoted medical staff was trying their best but who knew if Boq really had the will to live anymore. However, he didn't get to ponder further on that because when Boq saw Elphaba, he started screaming.

To Be Continued…


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Heading into more adult themes here so a strong T rating for this chapter. I may up it to M later but I'm not sure. Let me know what you think. ;)**

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**Chapter 6**

The nurses quickly sedated the screaming Munchkin and the Head Nurse whirled around to the Captain.

"What on Oz are you thinking bringing that in here?" She spat. The words struck Elphaba hard and she buried her face deeper into the Captain's shoulder. Upon seeing this, the nurse immediately felt guilty.

"_She_ needs medical attention," Khalil gave her a look.

"I'll get Doctor Haluk and Karl," the nurse nodded and was off. Khalil sat down on a nearby bed and carefully extracted Elphaba from his arms.

"The doctor will see you soon and we'll see about getting you well again," he smiled.

"Why?" She asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes. It was the question of the day. Should they help her, she would stand trial and possibly pay for her crimes by way of burning at the stake. If she could not be helped that would actually be better. It sounded like a terrible thing to think but the Captain didn't know what else he should be thinking.

"Because you hit your head," he responded.

"So they can arrest me again?" She wanted to know.

"Possibly but don't worry. We'll figure that all out later," Khalil smiled again as Doctor Haluk arrived.

"Captain the nurse said you brought in a special patient," the doctor's eyes were as big as saucers.

"Yes and she needs more help than my medic could give her," Khalil quickly explained the incident leading up to Elphaba's head injury, leaving out the other occurrences at the little Wizard-loving village.

"They want her well to stand trial don't they?" He asked.

"Yes that is the plan," Khalil said.

"Karl, would you escort the lady to the exam room? I need to get a few more details," Haluk smiled.

"Yes, sir," the assistant smiled and approached Elphaba. She scrambled up the bed and it was only until the Captain said it was ok for her to go with Karl, that she relaxed and walked with the assistant.

"Her motor skills seem rather fine but what can you tell me about her condition on the way here?" The Doctor wanted to know.

"Old memories have begun to surface but memories from over a decade ago. She had to be told that she had always been green and that it was winter time. Her memories, they…" Khalil paused, unsure of how to proceed.

"What is it?" Haluk gave him a questioning look.

"Best guess is that she was abused by her father. Some of the things she's said have just rocked my men to their core. I don't think she's trying to trick us either. If she is, she's got one heck of a twisted imagination," the Captain explained.

"Good heavens," Haluk shook his head.

"I wish I could say that I want you to help her but I worry what might happen if you do," Khalil admitted.

"Yes between the trial and the memories she may become more broken than she already is. I will examine her to the best of my ability and let you know what happens," Haluk nodded.

"Good, thanks Doctor," the Captain gave a tight smile as the doctor turned and headed for the exam room.

About an hour later, Haluk emerged and the look on his face said mostly what it needed to say. The Captain swallowed hard as the Doctor approached him.

"How bad is it?" Khalil wanted to know.

"She has severe memory loss followed by the fact that some short term memories seem to get lost amongst the shuffle. I can't imagine she'll be able to aid in her own defense. Beyond that, she may be like this permanently. I can't see inside her head to tell if there is swelling or bleeding so I can only guess that the hits were hard but not enough to fracture her skull. That may be a good thing but honestly only time will tell. I can say that locking her up might not be such a good idea…" the doctor paused.

"What is it?" Khalil asked.

"Well while I was doing a full exam I found deep scarring on her back, some on her stomach, and evidence that she had some sort of surgery in her abdominal region. The stitching was not done very nicely and the scar would indicate that she had a country doctor do the work. Without opening her back up, I couldn't tell you what they did or why they did it and to be honest, I don't think I want to press her. When I asked about it she wouldn't answer despite trying to answer my questions about the other scars," Haluk explained.

"What were the causes of the other scars?" The Captain was afraid to ask but he felt he needed to, in order paint a picture for the Council.

"Whippings, beatings, and the occasional burn from something that probably was a fire poker," Haluk heaved a sigh. What he saw had ripped him apart at the seams.

"Good Oz," the Captain shook his head.

"Her father was a sick man and I think I know what the other scar is for but I personally don't want to traumatize her any more than I already have," the doctor admitted.

"What do you think it was from?" Khalil asked.

"Delivering a baby," Haluk swallowed.

To Be Continued…


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Another dark chapter. I hope you are all still with me. This is my first foray into such matters so I am sorry if anyone is offended or upset. I'm just trying to push the boundaries of my comfort zone. Thanks for your support and your patience. :)**_

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**Chapter 7**

The news hit him like a ton of bricks. Khalil sat down in the nearest spot he could find and gave a look at the doctor.

"It's only a supposition. There are other reasons for a scar like that but none of them are pleasant," Haluk admitted.

"Did you perform…"

"I did not. I wasn't going to subject her child-like mind to having to not only explain why I had to invade her personal areas but also preparing her for what memories that could flood back when I do. If it becomes necessary I will have a female nurse assist," the doctor cut him off.

"I understand. I must go inform King Brrr and the Council but first I need your help. Can you come with me for a little bit?" Khalil wanted to know as he stood.

"I can. Karl gave Miss Elphaba some medicine and she'll need to catch up on her sleep. Sergeant Collins promised to keep an eye on her. Especially since we must keep her away from Boq," Haluk said as they headed for the door together.

"Good. How is the Munchkin?" The Captain asked while they exited the infirmary and headed for the stairwell.

"Not good. Infection has set in and we've had to remove dead tissue. I'm not sure how much longer he can take it. He's a brave soul though, I'll give him that. He's never questioned my authority or any of the nurses and he's had to endure painful procedures without much complaint," the doctor sighed.

"What about his mental state?" Khalil wondered.

"Hit or miss. Some days he feels good and is a perfectly happy person and other days he's miserable. I've been reaching out to my colleagues to see if anyone could help determine what he's going through but no one has any ideas," Haluk shrugged as they walked down the staircase and into the basement. The Captain just shook his head.

"Why are we going down here anyway?" The doctor wanted to know. His confusion only abounded when he saw Lady Glinda locked up in a cell by herself. The cell next to it was full of Gale Force soldiers, two other men, and a Scarecrow.

"These fine people stood with Miss Elphaba when confronted about the truth about her. They are the only ones brave enough but I believe there will be more when your discovery comes out," Khalil explained.

"What is your stance Captain? Your fiancée stands arrested and could very well…"

"I stand by her and will do whatever it takes to free her but that is not the point of our visit. I believe that Lady Glinda can help you understand more about Miss Elphaba. They went to Shiz together," the Captain interrupted him as they approached the cells.

"I see. Yes she might be able to. Does anyone need medical attention whilst I'm here?" Haluk wondered.

"We're in good shape Doc," Sergeant Zetti said.

"Sergeant, I heard you took quite the shot to the gut while you were away. How is it that you are ok?" Haluk wanted to know.

"Miss Elphaba saved me. Seems only fair that I do the same," Zetti smiled.

"Truly she has no accounting for taste then," the Doctor smirked.

"I warned her but she wouldn't listen," Zetti chuckled.

"I imagine she didn't. She either showed great restraint or…"

"She is not the monster everyone makes her out to be," Fiyero spoke up.

"Says the man made of straw," Zetti teased.

"Ah you must be Fiyero. Miss Elphaba asked about you," the doctor said.

"How is she? Will she be all right?" Fiyero wanted to know.

"It is too early to tell but since she has no family around that I can ask about her medical history, I need to borrow Lady Glinda for a little while," Haluk admitted.

"Lieutenant Cengel, open the cell please," Khalil ordered.

"Yes, sir," the Lieutenant quickly opened the door and fastened shackles to Glinda's wrists. She frowned but walked out of the cell toward the Doctor and her lover.

"What do you need Doctor?" Glinda wanted to know as she was led away. She worried about where this was headed.

"I think it best we wait until we have some privacy. I don't want everyone to know everything I've discovered just yet," Haluk gave a tight smile. The rest of the trip to the infirmary was silent. Once there, they went into the Doctor's office and he called for Karl to join them. Once the assistant had arrived, Haluk gave Glinda the report that he'd given the Captain.

"Do you know what the abdominal scar is from? Did she ever tell you why she has all those other terrible scars on her body?" Haluk wanted to know.

"You have to understand something Doctor, she swore me to secrecy. I cannot break that. Not now, not ever," the blonde said.

"It may go a long way to helping the court side with her on their decision. She may not be competent to aid in her own defense but that will not stop the Council from putting her through the wringer. If she is asked these questions on the stand and she clams up, they could view it as an act of defiance and convict her anyway. They are looking for a reason, any reason, to make her sound like what the Wizard told everyone. If what he said was in fact lies, we need to be able to prove it," the Doctor explained. Glinda heaved a sigh and nodded.

"First, I have to tell you something that I have not told anyone. Even Elphie doesn't know," the blonde said.

"What is it?" Khalil asked.

"Frex Thropp was not Elphie's real father. The Wizard was," the bomb was dropped and everyone looked at her as if she was crazy. She quickly explained the situation and how she had put two and two together. It was then obvious to them what she was getting at.

"I told you that to tell you this. Elphie always suspected that there was a reason her father hated her so, more than just because Nessa was a cripple. She never had any solid proof. One night, I came home from a party and Elphie was in bed. I was a little tipsy, and I woke her up. Well the fact of the matter was she was tipsy too and wasn't exactly sleeping. Apparently, she'd had a rough night, and had managed to get something to wash down her sorrows. The two of us ended up playing around and her guard was down. She was a wee bit tipsier than I and I had to help her out of her dress so she could go to bed properly instead of sleeping in that Oz-awful black dress she used to wear.

"Anyway, while I was helping her change, I saw the scars. Not having my wits about me, I asked her about them. She told me that after her Momsicle died, her father took everything out on her. She basically became a servant instead of the daughter of the Governor of Munchkinland. When things weren't just so, in the way he felt they should be, he'd beat her. Then I asked her about the large scar on her abdomen and she…" Glinda sucked her lips into her mouth. The next part was hard to speak of, not only for Elphie's sake but for her own.

"What is it sweetheart?" Khalil asked.

"Well one night, her father was drunk and he… he…" she just couldn't go through with the words that she had to say as tears rolled down her face.

"Please explain," Haluk urged as Khalil held onto her shoulders, trying to comfort her.

"He told her that her mother was a whore and that she was going to be one too," by now Glinda could no longer hold back and the flood of emotions that had been on the precipice of tumbling down, let go.

"Why then would he need to operate on her?" Karl asked.

"It wasn't until a year after he started abusing her that she figured out something was going on with her body. Frex had the doctor come when it was time and instead of just delivering the child, he also made it so she could never get pregnant again," Glinda finally managed to get out.

"Great Oz," Doctor Haluk shook his head.

To Be Continued…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Thank you for telling us. I know it wasn't easy but it is necessary for the doctor. He may be able to help her physically as well as mentally," Khalil smiled slightly.

"You can't tell anyone what I've told you. If she regains her memory, she'll never forgive me even if it was to help her. Please, you have to promise," Glinda begged.

"There is no reason to tell anyone. I can make my own suppositions to the Council and that should suffice. I only hope that the memories from the traumatic incidents aren't required for everyone to hear. I'm just glad that I have a full picture so that when I'm treating her I know what I'm up against. I certainly don't want to do anything that may jeopardize her mental and physical well-being. I do have one more question to ask though," Haluk said.

"What is it?" Glinda bit her lip nervously.

"What became of the child?" The doctor wanted to know.

"Even in her tipsy state she would not tell me. I have no idea if she even knows what happened," the blonde admitted.

"As terrible as it sounds, my guess is that the child did not survive. No one of the Thropp family has claimed the right to lead the Munchkins. Munchkinland has been fighting ever since in an effort to discover who would lead them since they could not abide Lady Glinda ruling them," Karl spoke up.

"You have a point. A child out of wedlock would not look good for the Governor and he would not have wanted people to know what was really going on behind the mansion doors," Haluk nodded.

"Do not underestimate his ego or his foul sense of Munchkin tradition gentlemen. If that child was a boy, he would have found a way to keep it," Glinda's sudden venomous tone surprised them.

"Do you think he would even if he thought it was the result of an incestuous relationship?" Khalil gave her a concerned look.

"While he may have doted on Nessa, he wanted a son in the worst way. Someone to carry on the Thropp name mattered to him more than Elphie. Had he been alive long enough, he would have married Nessa off to sew up some ties with a neighboring country and kicked her out of the house. When Elphie's mom died any humanity in him died with her," Glinda spat.

"If what you say is true then it is definitely best to keep everything said in this room in this room. Should the news get out and there is even the slightest possibility of a Thropp heir the Munchkins may start ripping themselves apart looking for him. As for the little bomb shell about Miss Elphaba's true lineage, that will not help her case. That too must remain a secret," Haluk told them.

"Agreed," Khalil nodded. Just then a knock on the door interrupted their conversation and Karl opened the door.

"Doctor Haluk, the Council wants a report immediately. All prisoners are to be transported to the courtroom to be formally charged," the Head Nurse said.

"We will move everyone down there then. Karl, please prep Miss Elphaba," Haluk said.

"Yes Doctor," Karl quickly ducked out of the room.

"I'll fetch those downstairs. Glinda please stay with Miss Elphaba," Khalil gave her a quick smile and then was gone. Glinda moved out and found Karl gently waking Elphaba from the sleep that had been induced by the medicine.

"Where am I? Who are you?" She asked.

"The infirmary, I'm Karl," the assistant didn't like the sound of her voice. She seemed confused and she should not have been. Then he saw the blood trickling out of her nose.

"Doctor Haluk! Come quick!" He shouted.

To Be Continued…


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"It seems we are short a few defendants are we not?" Council Leader Augusto wondered as he did not see any females around. The group now stood in front of the Council and Brrr, waiting to hear the charges against them.

"We are but Doctor Haluk promised to bring them here," Captain Khalil said as he turned around. No one was coming through the courtroom doors and the Captain was about to send Lieutenant Cengel to find them when a nurse burst through the doors. She had obviously been running as her chest heaved and she gasped for breath.

"What is the meaning of this?" Councilman Wiley wanted to know.

"There has been an emergency. Doctor Haluk has asked for the Captain," the nurse explained.

"What kind of emergency?" Khalil asked.

"Lady Glinda tried to help Miss Elphaba. Something has gone terribly wrong," she told them. Without thought, the Captain raced out of the room and headed for the infirmary.

"Lock the prisoners back in their cells. Council Members head down to the infirmary," Augusto ordered. With that the prisoners were led away. Fiyero tried to struggle but Zetti gave him a look. They were all worried about the two ladies but to fight now would be unwise. So they were led away to their cells, only being able to pray that the two friends were all right.

Captain Khalil burst through the doors to find Doctor Haluk sitting on the floor holding Glinda's head in his lap. He was trying to wake her up but it was not working. Khalil got down next to the doctor and gave him a look.

"Miss Elphaba began bleeding from her nose. Seconds later she lost consciousness. Lady Glinda stepped in and tried to use her magic to help her but something went wrong," the doctor explained.

"Why would Miss Elphaba's nose bleed cause her to lose consciousness?" Khalil asked.

"The injury she sustained must have caused bleeding in her brain. It explains why her head always hurt and why her symptoms appeared to be from a concussion. I can't do anything about it. It is a terminal condition," Haluk said.

"So Glinda tried to fix it?" The Captain looked down at his beloved and knew that despite everything, she was braver than she believed.

"She did but then they both collapsed and…" he didn't finish as a hand came up from the floor that was most certainly not either of theirs. The pink nail polish showed them what they needed to know.

"Little help?" She questioned in a soft tone.

"Of course, my love," Khalil gently leaned over from his kneeling position and scooped her into his arms. Holding her tight, he lifted them off the floor. He made for the nearest bed and laid her down.

"How are you feeling?" He wanted to know.

"I don't care how she feels. Doctor you will replace her restraints and have her taken to the cells immediately," Council Leader Augusto ordered.

"I will do no such thing. I have no idea what is wrong with her and I cannot in good faith discharge her to the custody of the Gale Force," Haluk stood up and got close to the Councilman.

"You will do as I…"

"He will do what is best for the patient. We are not savages gentlemen, let us remember that," Brrr spoke up. As much as the Council wanted to object, they knew it would be foolhardy. Brrr was now the leader of Oz even if temporarily, more so he was the leader of the Animals and to upset the delicate peace they had enjoyed would be suicide.

"Doctor Haluk! Miss Elphaba's pulse is weakening!" Karl called out in a panic.

"There is nothing I can do for her. If the magic worked then she should be able to recover on her own. If it did not, we're looking at a fatal condition. The only way for us to know would be for me to open her skull," Haluk heaved a sigh. It was a risky proposition. The chances of infection were high along with the chance that they could not fix the problem, making the chances of success very low.

"The magic worked doctor. If it didn't, I would not have passed out on you. You have to give it time," Glinda explained.

"I've lost her," Karl said, as the color drained from his face.

To Be Continued…


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: I know quite a few of you were ready to grab your torches and pitchforks after last chapter so I hope that this chapter makes up for it. ;)**_

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**Chapter 10**

Silence flooded the room and a look of shock crossed Glinda's face. She had been sure that the spell had worked. Doctor Haluk moved to the still patient and double checked Karl's findings. Her pulse was in fact gone. He looked to the nearby clock and said,

"I'm calling it. Time of death…" he didn't finish that sentence as Elphaba's body arched off the bed as she gasped for air. Quickly both he and Karl helped her to sit up when her body hit the mattress. She heaved for air three more times before her breathing returned to normal. The doctor sent Karl off to fetch some water and when he returned, the doctor offered the drink to the green skinned woman.

"Miss Elphaba, do you know where you are?" Doctor Haluk asked. She looked around and then shook her head as she swallowed all of the water in the cup in one shot.

"Do you know who I am?" The doctor wanted to know.

"Doctor Haluk," she nodded.

"Very good. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Light headed," she replied.

"That is quite understandable. Do you have any pain anywhere or are you having trouble forming thoughts? Are the words hard to get out?" The Doctor was concerned given the fact that she had yet to make a complete sentence. The spell may have removed the pressure from her brain but that didn't mean that there wasn't serious damage left behind.

She opened her mouth to respond but she closed it again when she noticed that everyone in the room was staring at her with the exception of the Doctor and Karl.

"It's all right Miss Elphaba. Take your time. A lot has happened in the last week and you've been through a lot," he smiled slightly.

"I need everyone who is not essential medical personnel out of here. The last thing she needs is to have her senses overloaded," Haluk ordered.

"We will do no such thing! There are charges to be leveled at both Miss Elphaba and Lady Glinda. They will be issued here!" Council Leader Augusto shouted.

"Absolutely not! She has been traumatized enough for one day. Come back tomorrow when I've had a better chance to examine her and help her through this process," Haluk was not going to back down now.

"The shenanigans that have been going on around here will stop this instant! They will be chained to their beds and they will have the charges brought against them, right now!" Augusto rebutted. Brrr was about to step in when suddenly Elphaba started screaming. It took only a few moments but the world around her froze. The only one who did not was Glinda. The pink wearing Good Witch carefully exited her bed and walked over to her friend, despite being a little wobbly on her own legs.

"It's all right Elphie," Glinda ungracefully plopped down on the bed as her knees were still a little too weak from casting the spell. Embracing her friend, the screaming stopped and the crying began.

"I've got you Elphie. No one is going to hurt you. I promise. Not now, not ever again," the blonde promised as Elphaba continued to cry into her best friend's shoulder, soaking the pink material found there. Despite the fact that Elphaba was crying, Glinda took heart at the situation. Her magic was certainly back which meant possibly her memories and a way to defend herself without having all the dark secrets that had been spilled by the people around her come to light in a public forum.

The magic began to fade as the crying continued and slowly the room transformed back into the men and Animals that had been shouting previously. The shouting stopped as they realized that Glinda had somehow moved over to the green skinned woman and no one had managed to notice.

"Gentlemen, out of my infirmary now," Haluk was almost growling.

"Do as he says or you will find yourselves in the cells with those you are trying to convict," Brrr actually growled at the men of the Council. Quietly the men left the room leaving only the medical personnel and Captain Khalil.

"Captain I must insist that you go too. I need to calm Miss Elphaba down and as of yet I'm not sure what has resulted to make her cry," Haluk feared that memories were flooding back and that the crying was the result of remembering what had been so long buried.

"I…" Khalil started as his heart broke to see Elphaba balling like a baby into Glinda's shoulder.

"I will let you know when you can come and see Lady Glinda," he gave a slight smile and a wink. Khalil nodded and was gone.

"What just happened, Doctor?" Karl asked.

"I have no idea but we will do all we can for her now," Haluk smiled slightly.

To Be Continued…


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: A shoutout to ExoticPeachBlossom. Thanks for your help with this chapter. ;)**_

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**Chapter 11**

The next morning dawned all too quickly and this time there was no stopping Augusto and the Council. Elphaba had been rousted from her bed by two Gale Force soldiers who quickly chained her wrists behind her and her ankles together, leaving only enough chain between her ankles to shuffle along. Glinda was rousted as well by another pair of soldiers and despite the nurses and the doctor arguing the patients weren't ready, the two were led away.

The charges were read in the courtroom to the two along with the others who had been brought up from their cells. Fiyero looked at Elphaba but she did not look at him. The fact was she hadn't looked up from the floor since being forced out of bed.

"The trial of Elphaba Thropp will begin this afternoon. Once her fate is decided, those who stood with her will have their charges amended. In the meantime, all defendants are remanded to their cells until further notice. Captain Khalil, you will escort Miss Thropp to the podium outside. All of Oz will know that we have the Wicked Witch in custody and that she is being charged with crimes against the State. They will also know that others have been arrested for aiding and abetting her," Augusto ordered.

"Sir, I do not think it wise to parade the charges of the others in front of the public, namely Lady Glinda. There could be public outcry and there could be riots. The crowd will be riled up enough with the arrest of Miss Thropp. We don't need to incite other problems as well. The Emerald City is already in a weakened position and if the entirety of Oz knows that Glinda has been arrested, it will be open season on us. You will have the Munchkins, the Vinkuns, and of course the entire state of Gillikin marching toward the city by daybreak. We cannot sustain a war with countries we thought to be our allies," Khalil spoke up.

"He has a good point. The last thing we need is for the public to know there is infighting and distrust. They will find out soon enough that I have been running things in Lady Glinda's stead and it will bring trouble to our doorstep," Brrr spoke up. His heart broke as Elphaba did not even look up when she heard his voice.

"Then only Miss Thropp's charges will be announced but mark my words, if she is found guilty of treason, everyone will know who will be dying beside her at her public execution," Augusto glared. He banged the gavel and with that the conversation was over. Khalil walked to Elphaba and put his index finger beneath her chin, bringing her chocolate brown eyes up his baby blues. She was hardly the woman he'd known but a few weeks prior. The light that had been in her eyes vanished and it had been replaced by a dull flicker of pain and betrayal. He leaned in and whispered in her ear,

"We will get you out of this." It may have been an empty promise but he hoped to give her something to hold onto. He wished he knew what else he could do as he walked her out to the set of doors that led out to the podium where Augusto would be announcing the charges against her.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Emerald City, I have an announcement to make!" Augusto shouted from the podium. The people who had gathered below remained silent. Rarely had the Council made announcements and if they had Lady Glinda was always nearby.

"Our Captain of the Gale Force has arrested one of the most feared criminals in the history of Oz! Today formal charges have been issued for…" always one for the dramatic, Augusto had the doors opened and Khalil walked out, Elphaba at his side.

"The Wicked Witch of the West!" The Council Leader finished. A gasp went up from the crowd as they figured the Witch had perished as they had all been told.

"How can that be?! She was supposed to be dead!" Someone shouted from the crowd.

"It seems she proved more slippery and cunning than earlier anticipated but rest assure that they full weight of the Ozian Justice System will be brought down upon her," Augusto smiled slightly.

"The Wizard was a liar! Where is Lady Glinda?!" Another person asked.

"Lady Glinda is handling urgent matters of state. She put me in charge of making the announcement," the Council Leader tried to explain.

"Lies!" A third person shouted and Captain Khalil couldn't help but smirk as he made his way to the podium. If he didn't calm things down soon there was going to be riot. It seemed as though the good people of the Emerald City were already less concerned about Elphaba and more concerned about Glinda which made him beam on the inside.

"Good people of the Emerald City! Please calm down. I can assure you that Lady Glinda is safe and doing her best to keep all of you safe," the Captain said.

"The Wizard lied and you try a girl because of the color of her skin?!" A woman shouted from the crowd. Those standing around her swiveled and gave a look of astonishment.

"Do you have proof?" Augusto wanted to know.

"The proof has been living under my roof for the past seven years!" She replied. A gasp went up from the crowd as Augusto looked at the Captain, completely confused. Pretending he was confused too, the Captain asked,

"What do you mean?"

"I have been protecting the son of the Witch!" The woman responded. A shout from the guards behind them made Khalil turn and look back. Elphaba had passed out.

To Be Continued…


End file.
